Sagarin Rating - Still Weird

[RedDenver]

Florida (4-5) is ranked 14 spots higher than Nebraska (7-2). Luckily, the BCS uses Pure ELO, because that is absurd.

 

We just need a 16 team playoff so we don't have to worry about all of this opinionated based crap anymore.

It's hard to think the computer ranking is "opinionated".

[QMany]

To some extent, these computer figures have to be subjective. Who decides that SOS (Florida) weighs much more heavily than wins and losses (Nebraska)? Florida is 4-5. I repeat, Florida has a losing record.

[RedDenver]

To some extent, these computer figures have to be subjective. Who decides that SOS (Florida) weighs much more heavily than wins and losses (Nebraska)? Florida is 4-5. I repeat, Florida has a losing record.

Of course it's subjective, but it cannot be "opinionated" like a human poll because it's based on an algorithm that doesn't know anything about the teams other than their stats.

[JTrain]

From what I have learned here, any system that ranks Nebraska highly is a fair and wise one. Any one that doesn't is absurd and biased.

 

It's true that the value system used in formulating a computer rating is subjective. But once it's set in motion, every single game is judged with the exact same weight. It's impossible for a human to take into account all 500+ games that have been played and the tens of thousands of ways those results correlate.

 

Here's a huge compilation of (primarily computer) ranking systems. Nebraska's average is 39 and Florida's is 49. Have a look at some of these and you will get an idea of which ratings might fit your value system.